Automatic car-brake



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. e. LOWE. AUTOMATIC CAR BRAKE.

No. 459,141. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2. W. O. LOWE.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

No. 459,141. Patented Sept. 8,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM C. LGlVE, OF IIAPEYILLE, GEORGIA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of v Letters Patent No. 459,141, datedSeptember 8, 1891.

Application filed June 3, 1891. Serial No. 394,908. (No model.)

. in which Figure 1 represents a bottom plan view of a car with thebrakes and brake-operatin g device in position. Fig. 2 is an enlargedbottom plan view of the brake-operating device at one end of the car,the truck and brakes being removed; and Fig. 3 is a view of the same inside elevation.

A represents the bottom of an ordinary freight-car provided with thecombined drawheads and buffers B, having a limited longitudinal movementagainst the tension of a cushioning-spring I), and held in position bysuitable guards b, fixed to the under side of the car. Trucks are of thefour-wheeled type, their frames being denoted. by C and their wheels byc.

The brake-beams are denoted by D, and are arranged in the presentinstance in position to apply the brake-shoes d to the opposite sides ofthe wheels of the truck. The brakebeams at the end of the car havepivotally secured thereto levers E, one arm of which is connected by arod e with the other brakebeam of that truck-wheel, the opposite arms ofsaid levers E being connected by means of rods 6 and 6 respectively,with the middle and one end of a movable lever F, secured in positionunderneath the car intermediate of the trucks. A lever G is pivoted tothe under side of the car and has one of its arms connected with theopposite end of the lever F by means of a chain and spring connection g,while the opposite end of said lever G is connected with abrake-operating device by a suitable connecting-rod g. A correspondingconnecting rod g connects the spring and chain connection g with abrakeoperating device at the opposite end of the car.

The several parts thus far described are substantially the same as maybe found in commen use in connection with railway-cars, and theiroperation is well understood.

The inner end of each draw-head and buffer is provided with a lateralextension I) and has connected therewith a rod H, the purpose of whichis to throw a brake-operating lever at the opposite end of the car intoposition to be operated by the inward stroke of the drawhead and buffer.Brake operating levers I are pivotally secured to suitable supports atthe under side of the car, one at each end, in such position that one oftheir arms will extend across the path of an abutment b formed on theunder side of the draw-head and buffer. The abutment b is formed with anabrupt face on its inner end and tapers gradually toward the front, sothat it may move freely toward the front without engaging the arm of thelever I. The opposite arm of each of the levers I is connected, the oneby the rod g and the other by the rod 9 with the lever G and the springand chain connection g, as hereinbefore referred to. From this itfollows that if the leverl belocated in such position that its arm willbe engaged by the abutment h on the drawrhead and buffer as the latteris forced inwardly the said lever I will thereby be rocked in adirection to set the brakes. It is desirable, however, that said leversI should not be at all times in position to set the brakes under theinward movement of the draw-head and bufferas, for example, when it isdesired to back the train. To provide for this I have pivoted the leverI upon a depending pivotal bolt or stud K in such a manner that it maybe raised and lowered on the stud, so as to bring it into and out of thepath of the abutment 11 A guard 76, fixed at one end to the under sideof the car and at the opposite end to the pivotal bolt K, serves tosteady the pivotal bolt, and at the same time forms a stop to limit theswinging movement of the lever I. A bell-crank lever L is pivotallysecured in a hanger M, fixed to the under side of the car, with thebranches of its forked arm Zin position to embrace the opposite sides ofthe pivotal bolt K and form a support for the lever I. The opposite armZ of said bell-crank lever has a chain and spring connection n with arod H, connected with the lateral extension 19 on the draw-head andbuifer at the opposite end of the car, the corresponding arm of thebell-crank lever'L at the opposite end of the car being connected by arod H with the lateral extension 12 upon the opposite drawhead. Theseveral spring and chain connections serve to allow any thrust or unduestrain which may occur to takev place without liability of straining orinjuring the parts connected thereby.

From the above construction it follows that when the train is in motionunder a pull from the locomotive the several draw-heads and butters willbe thrown outwardly, and through the rods H H and the bell-crank leversL the levers I will be elevated upon the pivotal bolts K into a positionto be engaged by the abutments 6 upon the draw-heads. If now it bedesired to stop the train, the locomotive first applying brakes will setback against the forward movement of the several cars, which under themomentum which they have acquired will impinge one after another againstthe one ahead, thereby suddenly forcing the draw-heads and buffersinwardly, and thereby swinging the levers I in a direction to set thebrakes. If after having come to a standstill it be required to back thetrain, the several levers I may be released and allowed to drop out ofengagement with the abutments on the draw-heads by simply starting upthe locomotive sufficient to relieve them from the pressure under whichthey are held without producing a continuous strain upon the drawheadsas in advancing the train.

It is obvious that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction hereinset forth; but

What I claim is 1. The combination, with a system of brakes and a bufferhaving a limited longitudinal movement under the advance and retrogrademovement of the train, of a brake-operating lever having a movement intoand out of the path of the movement of the buffer and adjusting devicesfor said lever under the control of the butter, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, with a system of brakes and a reciprocatingdraw-head and buffer provided with an abutment, of a brake-operatinglever having one of its arms in position to be moved into the path ofthe abutment on the draw-head and buffer, an elongated pivot on whichthe said brake-operating lever has a lateral adjustment, and a devicefor sliding the lever along the pivot, the said lever-adjusting devicebeing under the control of the draw-head and buffer at the opposite endof the car, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a system of brakes and the reciprocatingdraw-heads at the opposite ends of the car, of brake-operating leverslocated at the opposite ends of the car in position to be engaged by thereciprocating draw-heads and buffers, the said operating-levers havinglateral movements on their pivotal bolts, and angle-levers for adjustingthe said operating-levers into the paths of the reciprocating draw-headsand buffers, the said angle-levers being connected each with thedraw-head at the opposite'end of the car, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM G. LOWE. Witnesses:

H. J. SMITH, ERNEST F. CLARKE.

